YEZIDI WOMEN | KURDISTAN

During August 2017 Hannah travelled to Kurdistan to organize an art project for a group of Yezidi women who have escaped ISIS captivity. These are the portraits Hannah painted upon her return.

'For these portraits I have used the luminous early Renaissance egg tempera technique. The use of gold leaf is to show the sacred of these Yezidi women, in spite of all they have suffered at the hands of ISIS.' Hannah Rose Thomas

Hannah's portraits will be exhibited in the Houses of Parliament the week beginning 26th March 2018, to advocate on behalf of the Yezidi community.

Hereyou can watch Hannah's interview for Sky News, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women 2017.

Leila

"They took my 9 and 11 year old sons: They took my 10 year old daughter: They took my husband. I don’t know if they are dead, or alive. I pray to God that I before I die I will see and hold them again."

Oansa

"All I want to tell the world is that I want to be back with my parents."

Nazu

"The last thing my mother said to me before Daesh separated us was: ‘please don’t kill yourself’."

Wasu

"My message to the world is "Please save our Yezidi people who are still being held captive by ISIS, one of them is my parents and my siblings and there are thousands people out there like me."

Hadiya

"And then I was sold again."

Hadiya was sold into sexual and domestic slavery to 12 different ISIS fighters.

Barfe

"I know there is nothing in your hands that can bring my son and husband back."

Basse

"They took her hands out of my hands, and put her into the hands of the enemy …. every day and night I imagine what Daesh are doing to her. One day she may come back, but I know that she won’t recognize me as her mother."

Basse's daughter was 6 years old when she was taken from her. Basse managed to escape, but her daughter did not.

Fahima

"I cannot express the sorrow to you when they took my child from me. I cannot find words that tell you what I feel not knowing where my child is."